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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Ruthlessness and Ruin

The most powerful man in the world used his family and
friends ruthlessly, decade after decade, in schemes to secure his political
dynasty.

Augustus, who famously said, “Let them hate, as long as they
fear,” permanently exiled his daughter for sexual transgressions. He forced his
stepson to divorce a woman he loved and marry a woman he loathed. He may even
have inadvertently turned his wife into a serial poisoner.

“Over the years, the princeps
had allowed his household to be corrupted into a court where a family’s
ordinary loves and tiffs gradually mutated into a political struggle,” wrote Anthony
Everitt. “Maybe this was an inevitable development, but it was Augustus who set
the inhumane tone. His insensitivity to the feelings of others (one thinks of
Tiberius’ thwarted love for Vipsania), his treatment of his relatives as pawns,
created a deadly environment. It would not be surprising if, in time, blood
relations came to bloody conclusions.”

The irony is that all Augustus’ political scheming, for
which he paid everything, came to nothing. The lesson is that ruthlessness in
the name of power finally consumes everything of value that the power was
supposed to protect. To exercise power without humanity is to erect an imposing
palace on quicksand.

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About Dan Hagen

"This trenchant commentary, which makes the big syndicated "on-the-other-hand" columnists look like Goebel Gerbils, is why I still believe that real journalism gets done most often at the personal newspaper level. Thanks for sharing this. Dan follows one of journalism's proudest traditions!"
— Paul McMasters, the First Amendment ombudsman for the Freedom Forum, on Dan Hagen’s newspaper columns

Why Odin's ravens?

Perched on the shoulders of the Norse god Odin are the pet ravens Huginn and Muninn, whose names mean “Thought” and “Memory.” At Odin’s bidding, they fly across the face of the world and bring him knowledge. In the 13th century Poetic Edda, Odin reveals that he fears that they may not return from their daily flights. He has pampered his pets by rewarding them with the ability to speak, and it’s truth that they tell, even though the Raven is, of course, a Trickster.

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"This article contains a significant amount of intelligence, analytic fact, common sense and eloquence. If you suffer from a 'freeze-dried' FOX News brain or enjoy a Rush Limbaugh lifestyle of blissful ignorance, avoid reading, as it may be hazardous to your health. A major side effect is thoughtful reflection." — Ian McDonald

Copyright

I love crows and ravens for their wisecracking voices and for that black-on-black gleam of sagacity in their eyes. They figure things out. They see us. They know us for what we are, which is why they keep a wary distance but remind us, with their taunts, that they are not overly impressed.